Govt to call ICT tenders worth S$2.2b in FY2015
TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — A revamped Singapore Customs call centre and a multimedia video wall capable of analysing one’s physical profile and recommending suitable library books are among the information and communications technology (ICT) tenders that will be called by government agencies this financial year — to the tune of an estimated S$2.2 billion.
The amount is the highest-ever projection for public-sector ICT tenders in a year, and will be the highest ever spent on such tenders. Last year, the Government spent S$1.95 billion on ICT tenders, while in 2013 and 2012 it spent S$1.21 billion and S$1.2 billion, respectively.
Key areas of procurement this year include digital and data services, web services, infrastructure and the development of the Smart Nation Platform, announced by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) at its annual industry briefing today (May 27).
For instance, wireless networks in the Government and government-aided schools would be enhanced to cover all areas within the compound.
“This is one of the key pillars to facilitating the use of student learning space ... For example, the teacher can make use of the wireless network to guide students to use mobile devices in the school’s eco-garden for science trails,” said Mr Loke Yew Leong, senior executive IT manager at the Ministry of Education, at the briefing today.
In his keynote address, Mr Chan Cheow Hoe, the IDA’s assistant chief executive of government services, said that as the Government moves towards a digital-first approach, ensuring the effective use of data and software becomes a priority.
“Dealing with the Government is not exactly going to Amazon to shop. A lot of times, you’re stuck with a bunch of things that you have to do but might not want to do. So the important thing is to reduce friction ... by using data,” said Mr Chan, citing as an example the Municipal Services Office’s OneService mobile application. The app provides a common platform for the public to provide feedback on municipal issues.
Over time, the Government hopes to co-source, together with industry partners, up to a fifth of their procurement of ICT projects. Most public ICT works are currently outsourced, said the IDA, though it declined to share the exact figure.
“To be nimble and responsive, the Government can no longer outsource applications development so extensively, but seek to co-source solutions with industry,” Mr Chan said, explaining the rationale for co-sourcing.
The aim is to shave production time from one or two years to half a year, and to ensure stricter quality controls with “no surprises”, he added. To this end, the IDA is launching a Centre of Excellence in software engineering and data analytics by mid-July.
Today, the IDA also announced a one-stop authentication and authorisation system to enhance data protection for businesses, to be launched in the second quarter of next year.
Employees can access government e-services and mobile services on behalf of their company using the Corporate Pass (CorpPass). This enhances data protection for businesses, as employees will be given a unique CorpPass login ID and no longer have to use their personal SingPass ID for corporate transactions.
There will be a six-month transition period for businesses to register for CorpPass, after which the new system will become the only recognised platform for businesses to perform Government transactions.
